1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to information books, and more particularly information books having folded pages and margins that permit easy access to desired information about a particular topic. The present invention is particularly useful as a guide book for travelers featuring sites, maps and other information on particular cities.
2. Description of Related Art
When touring to various cities or countries around the world, travelers often use a variety of maps and books to locate various landmarks, sites and other features or items of interest, and to obtain information concerning maters such as local transportation, lodging, eating, telephones, customs, etc.. Frequently, all of the information a traveler may desire is not contained in a single, easily carried book. Thus, multiple books and maps are required, each for a different topic. In addition, it is often times difficult to match certain information on sites with locations on a map, as well as to find certain information of interest with ease.
For example, when trying to locate desired information for instance on a conventional folding map or compendium of maps and local information, there is no way to determine, before opening the map, on what part of the map the desired area is printed. Further, even if the particular area is known, it is usually necessary to unfold a large part, if not all, of the map in order to locate and view the desired area. Also, refolding a conventional folding map after it has been unfolded is notoriously difficult.
There are two common types of maps. The first type consists of a relatively large sheet of paper on which the map is printed. The sheet is folded into a convenient size for storage. This type of map is relatively inexpensive to produce, but has a distinct disadvantage in that the user must open the map out fully if he or she is to comprehend the meaning of any particular part of the map. Quite often this disadvantage is emphasized because the index is printed on the reverse side of the map. Consequently the map is inconvenient both when the map is used in a confined space such as in a car and also when it is used outside where wind would tend to make it impractical. Further, once the map has been used it must be folded and quite often the user finds it difficult to refold the map into its original folded condition. As a result the map is folded improperly. Soon the paper weakens, and the map begins to disintegrate.
A second type of map is in the form of a paperback pocket book. This type of map is more convenient than the first type, but is relatively more expensive to produce. It also suffers from the disadvantage that the convenient size of the book limits the page size and consequently the amount of information carried by each page. Metropolitan areas must be broken down into a large number of smaller areas so that quite often the user will find that the particular part of the map required lies partly on one page and partly on another in a different part of the book. This makes the book somewhat awkward to use and requires that the user relates the pages mentally.
It is also desirable that a map or guide book have an index, and that the index be in a form which is readily understood and remembered by the user so that items found in the index can then be found on the map. The first type of map discussed has a distinct advantage in this respect because generally the index refers only to two grid references. This contrasts with a book which generally requires firstly a page number, and then two grid references. Often a street will run through several pages so at a minimum the user of the book must remember three references in order to locate something found in the index on one page but may have to refer to several pages each requiring use of three references.
Several folding maps or information sources have been designed to overcome these drawbacks. One such map, shown for example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,210,347, is made up of a sheet which has a plurality of alternating accordion-like folds of decreasing width. The map is split into a north half and a south half, with each half having a plurality of panels which represent contiguous areas. The map further has a key and a color-matching system which allows for identification of the panel representing the desired area. However, the map described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,210,347 suffers from several disadvantages. Namely, a user often will not want to take the time to use the color-matching identification system, desiring instead a more direct way to identify what area is represented on a given panel. Further, by printed contiguous areas on adjacent panels, the map is restricted to extended representation in only one direction (i.e., east-west), and cannot represent an area extending in more than one direction (i.e., both east-west and north-south). Also, the printing of contiguous areas from panel to panel precludes the use of the exposed edge portions of each panel for printing information concerning the panels thereon.
One effort to overcome these problems is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,801,157. This map is made a single sheet which is folded in an alternating accordion-like fashion. A plurality of panels are defined between the folds, each panel having a map portion and an information-bearing portion. The panels are of decreasing width so that the information bearing portion of each panel are visible when the map is completely folded. The map can further include a key printed on the front panel, and a color-matching system and/or a mark system which facilitate location of a desired area on the map. However, this map booklet uses an accordion fold system that allows pages to be turned in only one direction. Such a fold decreases the amount of information space available. If additional information about a particular area were to be included, the booklet described in this patent would become large and cumbersome.
A similar map is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,348,038. This booklet contains an accordion folded sheet that allows margins on pages to be visible without fully opening the map. In addition, other information on various sites and attractions are also indexed and visible to the user. However, like U.S. Pat. No. 4,801,157, the pages fold out in only one direction. Information contained in the book is, therefore, limited.
The present invention is intended to provide an improved information source having the advantages of a book while at the same time providing a simple index system, and pages which are folded such as in a map, to provide a larger format than that normally found in a book. The folded pages are arranged so they cannot be readily damaged by incorrect folding and yet the pages can be inter-related imperfectly without damage and without affecting the index arrangement.